…The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house - his hands shall
also finish it… (Zechariah 4:9)

Bible Correspondence Course - Lesson 19

WHAT and WHY the CHURCH?

The Western world has taken the existence of churches for granted. WHY and by WHOM
was the institution of the church founded? What is its PURPOSE? The answers to these
questions are vital to the fulfillment of God’s master plan!

THE average person believes that a church is a building with a steeple on top and
a cross on its facade. Indeed some dictionaries define it

thus. People – at least some – go to this building every Sunday morning to attend
a “worship service.”

But for many – and probably most – the church plays no part in their lives. Certainly
God plays no part in their lives. God is not consciously in their world – just people,
material things and interests. Of course, far back in the subconscious recesses of
many minds may lie dormant the supposition that God exists. But He does not seem
real to them.

Yet the church, too, does exist. But why? What purpose does it serve?

Church a Part of God's Plan

There is indeed a purpose being worked out here on earth. There is a reason for the
existence of mankind, as you have learned in your previous studies. And for the working
out of that awesome purpose God has a master plan. God's Church is an essential part
of that plan!

To understand "what and why the Church,” we must keep in mind the events that led up to the establishment of
the Church. Also, we must not lose sight of who and what God is – the divine creating Family – and that God is now reproducing Himself through
mankind.

Remember that Satan, formerly the cherub Lucifer, whom God had enthroned on the earth,
rebelled against God. Thus the government of God ceased to be administered on earth.
Yet God allowed Satan to remain in power on that throne. God would not remove him
from that position until a successor had qualified to replace Satan as world ruler, and actually been inducted into office!

Pertinent to the purpose of the Church is what happened shortly after the creation
of the first man, Adam. The first human followed the way of Satan, rejecting the
rule of the government of God. The Eternal made Adam's decision binding on the whole
human race until the restoration of God's government over the earth. Mankind would
be allowed to follow the way of Satan for a duration of 6,000 years – until the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ to restore God's government!

During this period, God would specially call and give His Spirit to just a few in
order to serve Him in preparation for the coming Kingdom of God. God did choose the
ancient nation of Israel to be His special people, but He did not promise to give
them His Holy Spirit at that time as He gave it to their prophets and a few select
others.

This brings us historically to the time of Jesus the Messiah and His founding of the
Church of God. But bear in mind that God's purpose is the reproduction of Himself
through mankind.

The physical creation of man began with Adam – the first man. But the spiritual re-creation of man began with Jesus Christ – the second Adam, who qualified to replace Satan as world ruler by proving that He would obey
the government of God and rule the earth by God's Law.

To Train Future World Rulers

For Christ to restore God's government over the earth, He will need a qualified and
organized staff of God Beings to assist Him in ruling the nations. They will have
rejected Satan's false way and proved loyal to the government and righteous ways of
God during their mortal lives.

In God's supreme master plan, His Church was designed to prepare that dedicated and organized staff of God Beings. The Church, then, is God's instrumentality
for His overall purpose of reproducing Himself. Those God has called out of this
world into His Church are the Spirit-begotten and finally to be born Family of God, which shall form the ruling Kingdom of God!

Let's study the details as revealed in the Bible. But before you begin, be sure to
get your tools for study – a Bible, some paper and a pen or pencil. Look up in your
Bible the scripture references given in answer to the questions and write them down.
Those who follow this method of Bible study already know how helpful it is in retaining
and reviewing the vital truths they learn from God's Word.